


It's Warmer by the Fire

by usabuns



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Cuddles, F/M, Food and Stuff, I didn't follow the prompt all that well actually, I really deviated from the prompt, Little one shot that took way too long, Post-Brotherhood by a lot of years, Snow!!, There's barely any AlMay out there so I'm going to change that, These two little idiots will be the death of me I swear, cuddling up in ugly sweaters by the fire and drinking hot chocolate whilst telling life stories AU, smooches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2014-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-26 03:16:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2636012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usabuns/pseuds/usabuns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The snow was getting heavier, and he felt a ping of guilt for making her fend off Mother Nature while trying to get to him. Well, he hadn't really forced her to come over; more like she immediately demanded to come and see him once she learned of his condition. </p><p>She was strong, he knew that, but a boyfriend will always worry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Warmer by the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> A little one shot I wrote based off of one of my own prompts. I orignally had a different ending to this, and it was much shorter, but I decided to change that in favor of a happier and longer one. This is unedited so if I made any typos, please don't refrain from letting me know! Constructive criticism is welcomed!!

He reached for another log and carefully placed it on top of the crackling flames in the fireplace. The windows are frosted and the snow falling outside is unforgiving and unrelenting. The whole town of Resembool is blanketed with the pure whiteness of winter. Even so, she said she'd come over, and she hasn't broken any promises yet. 

The wind howled menacingly outside as he took a seat on the bed. He was wearing only a soft, orange pajama top and oversized black sweat pants. His socks were fuzzy and warmed his toes. Instinctively, he wrapped multiple blankets around his cold, tired body. The snow was getting heavier, and he felt a ping of guilt for making her fend off Mother Nature while trying to get to him. Well, he hadn't really forced her to come over; more like she immediately demanded to come and see him once she learned of his condition. 

She was strong, he knew that, but a boyfriend will always worry. Shivering slightly, he grabbed another tissue and sneezed dramatically loud. 

He recoiled at the sight of his snot and promptly threw it into the nearby trash can. She was on a trip overseeing the progress in Ishval when he'd called her yesterday. 

It wasn't anything out of the ordinary for him to call her; they'd always keep in touch and update each other on what was happening. She had picked up the hotel phone and knew instantly who it was. They talked for what seemed like hours, but was, in actuality, only about 20 minutes. 

The couple chatted about little things like the weather, what each of them had had for lunch, things they did the current day. Neither of them ever got tired of calling; and a little phone conversation a day never ceased to make them both smile at the sound of the other's voice. 

In truth, he hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of the situation, hadn't even wanted to mention it, really, but he slipped up. If the constant eating of soup and staying indoors for the past few weeks wasn't clue enough, right when he was about to hang up, he sneezed. He tried to hide it, to play it off, but she knew him like the back of her hand, and she was dead set on postponing her antics in favor of taking care of him. 

He had insisted that she shouldn't worry about the matter; that he could take care of himself and that she should enjoy the time she was spending in Ishval with Scar and company. But she always was stubborn, and once she made up her mind, she wasn't going to change it. She simply stated that having a loved one with him would help to hasten the healing process. 

And that she could cook way better chicken soup than him. 

It has been five years since he left Amestris to explore Xing and the rest of the East, and somewhere in that time frame he had managed to start courting her, even with their busy schedules. She'd been teaching him about alkahestry in Xing's palace, where they'd gotten pretty close. He remembered when he first wrote to his older brother about their deepening relationship. Edward said that he "totally called it" and asked him to to tell Winry that she owed him 300 cens. 

It was also nice to see Ling and Lan Fan again, he had to admit; Ling was doing great as the new Emperor and Lan Fan had been training extra hard to protect the young lord. Ling said it was a bit annoying and excessive, but he could see the blush on Ling's face. 

He'd gotten done studying and exploring quicker than expected, which was partly nice since he could settle down for once, but also partly bad since he had no real goal after all of that had ended. He couldn't exactly do anything until Ed got back with his information from the West. 

He missed his brother a lot, but he always called and wrote letters. Winry and Pinako were out in Rush Valley for the time being, telling him to call them if Ed came back home while they were gone. None of them knew about his current illness, and he hadn't planned on telling them. He had managed to convince himself that it wasn't a big deal. 

Even so, he tried to cure himself with alkahestry yesterday, so she wouldn't have to take her time away to care for him, but he figured out pretty quickly that it didn't work on influenza and the like. He sat, defeated, in his pj's the whole day previous, slumping. He had only himself to blame, really; he was outside for such a long period of time the week before. He only wanted to feel the snow and cold winter air again; it had been so long since he felt what Resembool was like in the winter. 

But that was the past. He couldn't think about that now. Besides, he could tell that she was close, and the guilt washed over him like a wave enveloping a ship. He could just faintly hear footsteps approaching the automail shop. He got up, reluctantly, shed his plethera of blankets, and made his way into the front room. The outline of a person could be seen almost running in the blizzard-like conditions. 

He sighed and sniffled before pulling up a chair for himself. The minutes seem like hours for him; and he was dreading her arrival. Even when she knocked extremely hard on the front door and had threatened to break it down if he didn't let her in, he still couldn't believe that she'd come all the way here for him; that she had suspended her explorations for him. 

He was finally snapped out of his reverie when the banging became increasingly louder. He stood up quickly and rushed toward the door. Grasping the cold doorknob in his hands, he fumbled; the cold was almost too much for him to bear in this state. But he unlocked it and swung it open for her, teeth chattering. 

She stood there and it almost looked like there was a certain glowing quality to her. A crimson red kimono clung to her body, and over it was an unzipped, puffy white coat that he assumed she bought last minute, as he'd never seen her in it before. Her long, black hair was collected into two buns that sat atop her head, and her nose and cheeks were painted a rosy pink from the cold. Xiao-Mei was seated on her right shoulder as usual, nearly frozen. Though she wasn't as tall as he was, she was definitely not the tiny, cutesy girl he first met all those years ago. She was stronger, faster, and smarter than she had been a long while back. And it felt great to see her after almost a month. 

The expression on her face signified anger, but her worried, glossy eyes betrayed her. She immediately bear hugged him, and her voice wavered, as if she were about to cry, "How could you be so careless, Alphonse?" Her tone was playful, and he could tell that she smiled as she said it. The sound of her talking, the sound of her actually being there and not on the phone, warmed him up inside. Her voice was still as smooth as silk. 

Their eyes met after they released each other from their grips, olive green ones to pitch black orbs. She shrugged her coat off and brushed the snowflakes off of her head. Xiao-Mei jumped into Alphonse's arms, and he gladly stroked her fur while cradling her in his arms. 

"In response to your earlier question," Al started, sniffling some more, "I wanted to experience winter again. I guess I forgot about my human limitations." He scratched the back of his head, an apologetic expression now on his face. 

"Well don't be so stupid next time!" May scolded, hands placed on her hips. "I swear, sometimes I feel like I need to babysit you to make sure you don't hurt yourself." She shook her head and sighed. "But I'll save the rest of my lecture for when you're better. C'mon, let's get you in bed." He nodded, gave the tiny panda back to May, and followed her down the hallway and into the bedroom. 

She gestured to the bed and he laid down as instructed, pulling the covers up to his chin. She kissed his forehead. Checking his temperature. It must've been extremely low because a second later she bolted into the bathroom after stoking the fire, a look of worry on her face. 

May came back with a wet rag. It was dripping water onto the wooden floor, but she didn't seem to care much. Placing the warm towel on Al's forehead, he let out a relaxed sigh. He watched her move about, Xiao-Mei on her head. She moved with such grace and precision that it was almost hard to comprehend. Her kimono was long and fluttered as she danced along; though it wasn't long enough to hide the hidden kunai blades up her sleeve. Al smirked. It was pretty endearing. Despite her physical appearance changing quite a bit, her personality remained the same, and he was glad for that. 

"May?" he asked, pressing the towel down on his forehead. Warmth spreads throughout his body as if it were a snake coiling around its prey. 

"Hmm?" she responded, eyes still locked onto the fire. The wind howled again, this time more fiercely. 

"I tried to heal myself with alkahestry yesterday, but it didn't work," he informed, mildly confused and curious. 

She twirled around, looking just about ready to slap him. "Of course it didn't! Have I taught you nothing?! You must've lost a few brain cells when you caught the flu, Al." He laughed. 

"Probably," he agreed, smiling wide. He glanced out the window, watching the snow fly in all different directions.  
•~•  
"Well," May said after the fire and rest of the room were to her liking, "I'm going to go make you the best chicken soup you've ever tasted." With that promise hanging in the air, she stalked off confidently into the kitchen, leaving the bedroom door open behind her. 

Al heard the clanging of pots and lighting of the stove from where he was laying. With the extra fire, the house became warmer than ever, and he found himself very comfortable, even slightly drowsy. The scents of garlic, chicken, broth, carrots, and celery filled the air and he inhaled deeply every few minutes just so he can catch a whiff of the wonderful aromas. He's never had May's chicken soup before, but Winry's told him a million times that he ought to try some. This wasn't exactly the way he wanted to find out how it was, but he wasn't complaining. 

She came in quietly with a small, wooden table and set it on the floor to his left. "The soup's almost ready, Alphonse." She smiled, then walked off to the kitchen once more. A few minutes passed until May came back, and this time she had a warm bowl of soup filled to the brim balanced carefully in her hands. She set it down on the table and Al sat up, taking the towel off of his head. She took it and handed him a spoon in return. 

"Thank you," he praised. "I'm sure it'll be delicious." She nodded and sat herself on the end of his bed, crosslegged. She hugged herself tightly, trying to block out the cold. He raised his spoon, filled with soup, and blew on it, cooling it off. Once the steam stopped coming off of it, he inserted it into his mouth. "I guess we were both right, huh?" he stated in between spoonfuls of the heavenly stuff. "This is the best soup I've ever had! Where'd you learn to cook like this, May?"

She twiddled her thumbs nervously, as if she thought he'd hate the answer. "Oh, well....Scar showed me how back when we were wanted criminals. He said that his brother taught him how and that I should learn too."

Al laughed, harder than he'd meant to. Just the thought of Scar cooking made his mind boggle. He couldn't take it. In the midst of his laughter, he sneezed again, making snot drip everywhere. He heard an 'eww' come from May's general direction as she handed him a floral-printed box of tissues. He took them gratefully and blew his nose about 3 times before he declared himself 'snot free for the time being.'

He tossed the used tissues into the nearly empty trash can next to his bed. Thankfully, he hadn't thrown up yet. Yet. He was praying that the amazingly awesome soup would stay down. The box was placed neatly on the nightstand, and once Al finished up, May took the empty bowl and table back into the kitchen. He was so cold that he could practically feel the warm soup sitting in his stomach. For the first time in the week that he had been ill-stricken, he felt better.  
•~•  
"I'll leave you to sleep then," she announced after ruffling up Al's hair affectionately. "You need as much rest as you can get." She stood up, stretched, and yawned loudly. The snow storm outside had calmed down greatly and the sunset could be seen just through the bedroom window. Stars were beginning to pop up occasionally and Xiao-Mei was sleeping soundly at the foot of Al's bed. She walked to the door slowly, fatigued and anxious. 

"No- stay, please," he begged abruptly, catching May by surprise. She didn't object, however, and turned back around. She saw the look on his face and a glint in his eyes; neither of which she could place. It puzzled her. Something must be bugging him. 

"If you insist, Elric," she called jokingly, trudging to the other side of the bed and climbing in. She liked to tease Al by using his surname in the place of his first name. Whenever he complained about it, May said that she'd stop once they got married, since they'd have the same last name then. He would always blush, but never deny the possibility. 

The fireplace was still lit, the dying fire just barely making it through the day. It was warmer than it was before. and that alone makes them feel more at home; it gave off a certain kind of comfort that nothing else could. 

She changed into her pj's almost an hour earlier, settling on borrowing one of Winry's white nightgowns. She wouldn't mind, May was sure. It was a bit big on her, but she could manage. Her black hair was let down, and it cascaded down to her thighs in black waves. 

She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She scooted closer to him; after all, that was the smart way to save body heat. It would be warmer that way. Her arm draped over his chest and he visably flinched. A look of unease crept onto his face. Her eyes widened. She knew exactly what this meant, even if he had forgotten the feeling. 

"Sit up," she commanded. She practically jumped out of bed and reached for the garbage can. "You've forgotten what it's like to have the flu, correct?" He nodded anxiously, closing his eyes, and hesitantly took the can from May. He groaned. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it? Since you've thrown up. Well, it'll feel horrible, but if you can remember, you'll feel way better afterwards." She looked at him admiringly and touched his forehead. He wasn't as cold as before, but he was sweating buckets. "Shhh, you'll be fine," she cooed soothingly.  
•~•  
When it was finally over, May threw away the trash can for good and cleaned up Al's face. And also forced him to change clothes. He complied since, honestly, he didn't want to be in them any more than she wanted to lie next to them. 

She hugged Al when they got into bed again, and he apologized for throwing up her soup. She sucker-punched him right in the arm for making such a stupid comment. Not too hard though. He was still sick. 

"I can't go to sleep, May," he said quietly, turning his head to the left. Their eyes met again. The moonlight poured through the window and onto their faces, making them both look ominously inhuman. "When I couldn't fall asleep as a kid," he started, giving a sad smile, "Mother would tell me stories." 

May cupped his face with one warm hand and smiled. Taking the hint, she nodded diligently. "Alright. Now, Alphonse, I want you to know that this is a true story." She cleared her throat. "When I was just a little girl in Xing, my mother took me to meet my father for the first time. It was a long and hard journey; we traveled through pouring rain and scorching suns until we got to the palace. I was surprised at first. Surely she must have been mistaken, for I could never be the daughter of the Emperor of Xing. But I was. I was a Princess. Princess May Chang. I always thought it had a nice ring to it." She heard a low snicker come from his side of the bed. 

"Anyways, my father was the person that first introduced me to alkahestry. I instantly fell in love with it. I practiced it all day, believing that one day, father would grow impressed of my great skill and hand the throne over to me when he passed. I thought I could bring glory and honor to the Chang clan. As I grew older, however, I realized that this was not such. Still, I trained harder and harder everyday. Not only did I practice alkahestry, but I learned different fighting techniques everyday. I was a warrior. I became so skilled at almost everything I did that I thought he would notice me for sure. He did not. 

"Mother told me that our clan would probably never get the chance to rule. The only way that would happen was if I married someone of a higher social standing. Rose in the ranks. Then maybe we'd have a chance. 

"When news of the Emperor's encroaching death spread, the race for the succession to the throne was on. And when rumors of him wanting a Philosopher's Stone reached my ears, I knew what had to be done. I'd go to Amestris and get one. I was confident that I would be able to do so." 

She stopped short, realizing that Al had fallen asleep, a smile imprinted on his face from his last waking moments. He looked so peaceful sleeping, so angelic and perfect. So delicate and, well, downright adorable. 

"I love you," she whispered, kissing his lips and cuddling close to her Alphonse.  
•~•  
When he awoke the next morning, she was still sound asleep beside him. Her slumber was uninterrupted even as he slide out of bed and tiptoed to the kitchen. 9:13 was what the clock read. The snow on the ground outside flowed in drifts rather elegantly. It sparkled and the pureness of its shade of white was nearly blinding. He realized that she had just told him her life story the night before, and even though he practically knew it by heart, he loved it when she told it over and over again. His face grew warm. 

He decided early on the day before that he was going to make breakfast for May as a way to repay her for yesterday's events. Eggs were her favorite Amestrian breakfast food, so Al got out a pan and popped some bread into the toaster. She'd probably get mad at him for cooking while he was sick, but she would let it go once she ate. 

It seemed that his timing was perfect, because as soon as he buttered the toast and placed the eggs on a plate, May walked into the room, bleary-eyed with Xiao-Mei on her shoulder. As Al suspected, she was just about to start yelling until she saw the dish before her. She licked her lips and chowed down. 

"You know," she managed in between gulps of milk, forkfuls of eggs, and bites of toast, "I should be the one cooking for you. You're sick. I need to take care of you, Al."

"It's nothing, May, really," he reassured, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on top of hers. She blushed faintly, but continued eating. 

"Are you feeling better today?" she asked quizzically. "You seem awfully chipper this morning." 

"A lot better, actually," Al informed her, stealing one of her pieces of toast in the process. She grumbled at him. He stood straight up again and wandered aimlessly around the kitchen. He, much to May's protest, starting washing the dishes. She volunteered to put them away so she would feel less guilty. 

"You can go back to Ishval, if you want," he said, completely out of the blue. He wiped some more bowls with his soapy rag. "I'm not that sick anymore. You deserve to spend time with your friends. I want you to have a good time. You won't get to see them often but I'll always be here with you. Cherish the limited time you have with them."

"No. I'm going to stay with you until you're fully healed." She stared down at the plates and glasses that she was currently putting away. She had no excuse tied in with her answer, Alphonse noticed. It wasn't like her to do that. She did as she pleased and never really needed a reason to justify her actions. 

"As you wish, Princess." He laughed at his own little joke while May sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now go stay in bed. Or at least stay on the couch. I'm going to start a fire again, and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask." 

Al decided to stay on the couch, and soon enough, she came in and lit another fire in the slightly larger living room fireplace. Xiao-Mei jumped into his lap once again and he smiled happily as she snuggled up against his stomach. 

May checked up on him every 20 minutes or so, asking generic questions like "are you hungry?", "are you thirsty?", "do you want me to get you anything?", "too hot?", "too cold?", "need a blanket or some pillows?"

He appreciated her concern, he really did, but he hated seeing her worry so much. Her nervousness was plain to see. She always did show her emotions extensively. Occasionally, he'd take up one of her offers to make her feel more at ease. He made sure to sound extra healthy when he did. 

"Guess who made you tea." May sang, entering the living room, still clad in Winry's nightgown, holding a mug with hot steam coming out of the top. "It's your favorite; green tea I brought back from Xing! I made it just the way you like it, Al, three sugar cubes and two squirts of lemon juice." She stared at him hopefully as she sat down, like some part of her thought he would reject the gift. 

He grinned and gladly accepted her kind gesture. He voice was as sweet as honey, "Thank you, sweetie. I can't wait to drink it once it's cooled. It was nice of you to make it for me."

She only nodded curtly and stood back up. "It's nearly lunch time, Alphonse. Do you want anything?" Her eyes seemed to penetrate his very soul. 

"Anything is fine; make whatever you feel like. I think you can vouch for me when I say that I eat almost everything." He chuckled to himself. 

"Very well," she laughed, "I'll be back soon." She blew him a kiss and walked through the door. 

Too many minutes have passed and Al finds himself losing track. He counted the snowflakes gently falling from the sky. He scraped dirt out from under his fingernails. The kitchen clock ticks endlessly and the sounds May makes while cooking are indiscernible. Finally, after testing it with a finger now and then, Al declared the tea finally cool. 

It was better than he remembered. 

The exquisite taste of the Xingese green tea pelted his taste buds. It's been too long since he drank it last. He reminded himself that this is a rare luxury; that it's extremely hard to find Xingese tea anywhere other than in Xing. It's expensive in Amestris; something only meant for the rich. He knew May did him a huge gratitude in sneaking some over when she decided to come live with him here. She only made it for him on special occasions, due to them only having a limited supply. He savored every sip he took. 

Speak of the Devil and he shall appear, because as soon as he thinks this, she walks in with a metal platter. "You told me to make whatever I felt like making," she starts, "and I remembered when we made dumplings. I remembered how much you loved them. So I made them." 

He grabbed almost all of them off the tray, with her taking the leftovers. "I knew the scent in the kitchen smelled familiar." He gulps them down so fast that May's not sure if it's humanly possible. The only one who can eat faster is Ling. 

"The tea was delicious, by the way," Alphonse added, after his last dumpling had been swallowed. "And so were those dumplings."

"Let's just hope they don't come back up," she teased, smirking. He frowned at her in mock hurt. 

May's smile only widened. "Awwww c'mon, you know I'm just joking." She gave him a quick hug before heading towards the closet. "I'm going to shovel the snow. You need anything, you know where to find me. I should be done in, say, an hour or so?"

"Don't get sick out there," Al warned, taking another blanket from the pile next to him and wrapping himself in it tightly. She gave a 'tch' from inside the small space, still rummaging around for gloves and a shovel. She had managed to find a red satin scarf though. 

She slid on a pair of blue snow pants. "I'll be fine, Al." Triumphantly, May pulled out a big, metal shovel. She smiled, though it quickly diminished when she realized that she still hadn't found those damn gloves. Eventually, she got tired of searching and just settled on pulling up her jacket sleeves over her hands to keep warm. 

"I'll be back once the front is cleared," May announced, zipping up her coat and throwing a red scarf over her neck. She exited the room and departed for the outside, leaving the magnificent scent of cherry blossom trailing behind her.  
•~•  
The snow fell lightly and slowly, so it didn't hinder her progress much. Soft, golden light emanated from the sun high above, clouds, more often than not, covering it up. The storm was definitely moving away from Resembool, and with that realization, May gave a deep, relaxed sigh. This made her job a whole hell of a lot easier. 

There was never any snow in Xing, and the first time she'd seen it had been during the group's time in the North. Ever since then, she'd fallen in love with it. It was change from the hot and humid climate of her own country, though on days like these she longed for the hot sun. Even so, she liked seeing what the different seasons had to offer in Amestris. 

Even though the cold outside froze her to her very core, she continued on, shivering as shovels and shovels of snow were thrown away to clear out an entrance point. She was halfway there and surely her suffering would end soon. 

Once in a while, she would catch Al staring at her from the kitchen window, a worried and curious look on his face. She'd glare at him sternly and make a shooing motion with an exposed hand. Go back and rest, her eyes seemed to say. 

May plowed through more and more piles of the stuff until she was, finally, satisfied with the walkway's condition. She ascended the steps up onto the porch and turned around to admire her work. She'd done a good job; there was a clear path leading from the edge of the stairs to the dirt road. It was almost completely devoid of snow and her footprints were visable on the mushy ground. 

Content, she opened the door, only to be greeted with a passionate kiss on the lips. His warmth melted her chilled body and she pulled him closer, embracing his body heat. The door banged shut. She ran her fingers through his hair; she had always adored Al's hair. He pulled her in by the waist and their lips disconnected, her body being clutched into his chest protectively. May brought her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. He cupped her face with his hands, warming her up and making chills go up her spine at the same time. 

They both released hesitantly, not wanting to ever let go of the other. She pushed her hair out of her face, blushes replacing the red marks the cold had left on her cheeks. He grabbed her hands, made a snark remark about how cold they were, and promptly clasped them against his face. Her whole body ached and her head was dazed, but his voice, muttering sweet nothings into her ear, soothed her to the point where the pain was almost numbbed completely. 

She was about to tell Alphonse that he should probably get back to the couch when it happened. 

She sneezed.  
•~•  
"Looks like I'm not the only idiot catching the flu around here," he chuckled, handing her a mug of hot chocolate and taking a seat next to her. May gave a pouty face, sneezed once more, and grabbed the chipped green mug resentfully. Instantly, it sent heat racing through her. 

"You don't have to rub it in, Al," she grumbled, pulling the blanket closer. "But you've got my permission to say 'I told you so.' I deserve it after being so rash."

"I'm not gonna say that!" He sounded offended and looked appalled by the mere prospect of those words coming out of his lips. "That'd be mean." Still the same Alphonse, it seemed. She internally grinned. 

May laid her head against his shoulder. She looped her arms around his right one and hugged him close, sipping the cocoa carefully when she assumed it wasn't going to burn her. He started stroking her black, silky locks. 

"Can I braid your hair?" he offered, blushing faintly. "Sometimes I would braid Brother's hair. And you haven't done anything to it recently so I thought-"

"-Have at it," she interrupted, giggling a bit. "Don't be so flustered about asking. It's just my hair we're talking about." She adjusted herself so that she was seated on his lap, legs dangling down from the couch almost as far as his did. 

"I know, I know," he laughed, waving a hand dismissively, "I dunno, I just...even though we've been..." he snapped his fingers, trying to search for the right word, "...together for a while now, sometimes I still don't think that I can just do some things without asking. Or being slightly embarrassed."

He separated her hair so that he'd be making four braids. "That's just it, though. That's one of the reasons why I love you so much. Like you said," she cleared her throat, ready to impersonate Al's voice, "I'm a gentleman."

She could almost hear the giant smile spreading on his face, almost hear the memory, their conversation, play out in his head. 

May held the cup in both of her hands, its warmth slowly slipping away with every passing minute. He tugged on her hair very gently; so much so that she could barely feel the intricate movements his hands made. She turned her head to see Xiao-Mei napping contently on the far side of the couch, curled up into a tiny ball. Honestly, she didn't know who loved that 'weird black and white cat' more: her or Al. 

"There," he smiled, finishing up the last braid and tying it tightly, "all finished." She stood up, set her cocoa down on the coffe table, and walked the short way to the hallway, barefoot feet colliding with the sickening cold of the wood floor. 

The mirror was just outside the living room door; an edge slightly cracked and the sunlight bouncing harshly off of the surface. She looked into it and saw just how good of a job he did. May moved her hands through the silky smooth braids that now adorned her head. Brushing her bangs to the side, she huffed and trudged back to the couch, grabbing her hot chocolate after stoking the fire and adding another log. 

"Well, since I'm feeling better," Al started, "and you're feeling sick, shouldn't I be the one taking care of you now?" He posed a good question, she had to admit. He definitely looked better than he had yesterday, and the whole week prior, but he still sniffled and coughed occasionally. She considered this.  
"I'm not going to take no for an answer, May," he interrupted, crossing his arms at her skeptical and indecisive look. 

She knew better than to argue with him; Al was just about as stubborn as she was when he wanted to be. Giving a defeated and hollow smile, she sat criss-crossed on the sofa, clinging to the blankets. Her cocoa was already cold when she was about to get up and spill it out in the kitchen sink. Al stopped her though, and after some protests, he brought it to the kitchen himself. 

"I can't stand it!" she groaned. "I feel so useless, just sitting around and making you do everything for me!"

"How do you think I felt yesterday?" he said, taking his seat next to her once again. "That's why I didn't want you to come. I didn't wanna be a burden." It was silent for a long time. She found herself becoming more and more drowsy as the day went on, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"You're really tired, aren't you?" he questioned after her head fell on top of his arm for the fourth time in five minutes. May nodded. "Well you shouldn't sleep here. I'll carry you to bed if you want."

"I...I wouldn't ask you to do that, Alphonse," she yawned lazily, stretching her legs out and cuddling up against her boyfriend. She blinked her eyes open again and again, but couldn't seem to get them to stay that way. 

May felt herself being lifted into the air before she could add anything else. Frankly, she was too tired to argue with him, so she let it happen. She couldn't feel his footsteps, and it seemed as if he were floating around rather than walking. He held her body close to his firmly and stepped inside the bedroom. 

The last bit of her consciousness was slipping away from her, and she wondered just how late it was. Her eyes drifted shut just as he deposited her onto the master bed and kissed her lightly on the cheek.  
•~•  
Somehow, she'd managed to wake up before Al did. May looked over to see him sleeping soundly beside her, sprawled out over the covers, half of his body hanging off the bed. He was snoring loudly and she attempted to wake him, but it was no use. 

He was a heavy sleeper; you could probably drag him across the floor or scream in the highest decible humanly possible and he still wouldn't wake up. On the contrary, she was the lighest sleeper ever. If you made even a single floorboard creak, she'd be bolt upright in a second. They were polar opposites in some aspects of life, but that's what made them such a great couple. 

Entering the kitchen, May was greeted by an angry Xiao-Mei jumping on top of her and biting her finger. "Ow!" she yelped, though she was used to the act by now. "Damn...well, I know this means you're hungry, so I'm sorry for not feeding you before I went to sleep..." May shot the panda an apologetic and pleading look. 

She scuffled around for a bit, debating on what was closer to bamboo since she'd left her belongings back in Ishval, under the careful watch of Roy and Scar. May knew that she really should've brought even a little bamboo, but she was so hellbent on nurturing Al that she had completely ignored everything other than that task. 

"All we have is some bread and cheese," she handed them to her, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry..." Contrary to what she previously thought, the panda chowed down on the replacement bamboo, no questions asked and no complaints said. May smiled warmly and took a seat at the table. The bright blue sky outside was nearly cloudless and the sun was more prominent than before. Snow had stopped falling for what had to have been at least a few hours, and sometime overnight a few inches of it melted off the ground. 

Waiting for Al to wake up proves tedious, and she can only take so much boredom. She practiced some alkahestry on the floor, sparred with Xiao-Mei, and started another fire in the living room, and still, after all that, it was only 9; a full three hours of waiting and he still wasn't awake. 

She became impatient, unable to wait any longer. So, she tiptoed into his room, doorknob sending chills through her hand. He was in the same position that she left him in, except he was drooling on the pillows. She strode up to the bed and tried to shake him awake. He stirred, but otherwise remained unaffected. He really did sleep like a rock; almost literally. 

May attempted to drag him off the bed, but even though she was quite strong, Al was just too big for her to move more than a foot or two. 

"C'mon, Al, wake up please," she whispered into his ear, leaning over his chest and shaking him again for good measure. Her mouth quirked up at a sudden idea. She leaned in a pressed her lips against his, hoping for the best. Releasing, she quickly learned that kissing someone to wake them uo only worked in movies. Instead, she opted for something more......physical. 

May's hand flung back and she slapped him on his left cheek. She considered being gentle since he was sick, but 'gentle' wasn't going to wake up Alphonse Elric. 

Immediately, his eyes opened in shock and his hand went up to his stinging face. "What was that for?!" 

"For not waking up," she sneered, watching him sit up and caress his cheek pitifully, eyes narrowed. "I was going to make you breakfast but I knew you'd sleep in until lunch if I didn't wake you."

"Pfft. Well you didn't have to be so rough about it," he yawned lazily, pulling his sheets off and sliding on a pair of slippers. "Besides, I would've woken up sometime soon. Probably." 

"Yeah, I guess," she replied, only half-listening. "Hey, uh, what do you want me to make for you?" Her attention was still aimed in her thoughts. 

"You don't have to make me breakfast, May," he argued, following her into the hallway. "I'm not sick anymore."

"You made me breakfast yesterday, remember? Consider it equivalent exchange," she replied automatically, as if forseeing his response. Al's lips quirked up at this comment. 

"I'm in a pancake type of mood this morning" is all he says before disappearing into the bathroom. She went her separate way into the kitchen once again, this time prepping the stove and getting out all of the necessary ingredients. It had been a while since she made pancakes, and honestly she was feeling a bit rusty, but she promised herself that she'd do it right this time around. These would be the best damn pancakes Al ever tasted.

He came into the room a little bit after, but she paid little attention to her lover's antics. She could hear him playing with Xiao-Mei or tapping his fingers on the windowsill or flipping the pages of a good book. He seemed to have taken the 'don't talk to me I'm concentrating' hint and refrained from bothering her the whole time he was in the princess' presence. 

Her braids bounced at her sides as she shook the pan and flipped its contents over and over. Last one, she thought, pulling the big blue plate closer to the stove. Once it was golden brown, she slid the last cake onto the plate and poured a nice amount of syrup on top. 

"All finished," May declared, setting the plate down in front of Al with a huge grin plastered on her face, eyes swelling with pride. She went to the fridge to get the milk carton. Judging by the absence of his voice and the sounds of a fork and knife moving in perfect harmony, she could tell that she did well. The liquid poured into the glass she took out of the cupboard and pretty soon that was empty as well. "You're really hungry this morning, huh?" she laughed, collecting his empty dish and cup, placing them in the sink. 

"I'll be really hungry all the time if you keep cooking like that." The smile on his face was the biggest she'd seen since the Promised Day. It made her face hot and her knees turn to liquid. 

"Did you eat?" Al questioned, mildy concerned. His hair was unruly and sticking up in many directions. His shirt was very oversized and also very wrinkled. The bleach stains dotting his pants showed just how old and worn they were, and just looking at his bare feet made her insides cold. 

"Yes," she lied, "I ate plenty before you awoke." She leaned against the countertop, one hand raking through her now-messy braids. 

It was silent for a few seconds before he interrupted, "Something's bothering you, isn't it? You looked like you were very deep in thought earlier." 

She looked down and shut her eyes for a few moments before looking back up at his concerned face. It killed a little piece of her inside when she saw just how much he cared and worried for her. "I've been thinking.....and I think that, since you're feeling better and I'm feeling better, that I should go back to Ishval for the remainder of the month as you suggested." May's expression was one of anxiety and solemnity; her eyes not daring to stare into his. "But," she added, "only on one condition."

"And what might that be?"

"That you come with me." If she had been looking at him, she would've surely seen the look of shock and consideration on his face, maybe even a hint of guilt in the mix. 

"What if Brother comes back while I'm out?" he countered, standing up and wiping his face clean of crumbs. "He'll be all alone in this empty house."

"Edward's not a kid, Al," May said disdainfully. She mentally flinched at the sound of her using his full name. "He can survive a few days on his own in the house." 

To her, he seemed pretty convinced. He sighed, as if about to make a decision he would deeply regret later. "Give me 20 minutes," he replied gruffly, exiting the kitchen.  
•~•  
Green tie, white formal shirt, brown vest, grey overcoat, black dress shoes. Blond hair combed and styled neatly in his signature look. Knapsack filled with a weeksworth of clothes. He really did clean up nice. 

May had decided to wash and put on the red kimono that she had worn when she arrived, since there was nothing else for her to wear out. She redid her braids and drew them all together into a low ponytail at the base of her neck. Xiao-Mei sat confidently on her left shoulder, clinging on tightly with her claws when the passengers of the previous train spilled out. 

Rushing past an unusually large amount of patrons getting off, they climbed aboard, the double doors closing silently behind them. The vast expanses of hills and mountains that flew past the window were more unique and beautiful than anything she had ever seen. For Al, they were familiar, and even a bit boring when you lived in that same area all your life. 

He sat across from her, staring into her big, black orbs. The curiousity in them was plain to see, but he thought he saw something else, too. It must've been love, for only love could make your eyes look like that. He wondered if his own eyes looked the same. 

"...is really nice and- hey? Are you even listening to me?" She waved a hand frantically in front of his face. Doubling back, he blinked as he was snapped out of his thoughts. 

"S-Sorry, I accidentally zoned out."

"Right....well, I was just saying how beautiful the place I was staying at is...it's got a beautiful view of the town, really tall and big, the bed's absolutely amazing to sleep on..." She sighed dreamily, itching to be in the now-picturesque city of Ishval. 

Al laughed. "It sounds wonderful, May, I can't wait to see it. And I also can't wait to see our friends. I'm sure we'll have loads of fun."

"We will, once we're there and not in this damn train. I'd give anything to be off this and in that room," she said irritably, leaning forward onto the table in between them and resting her head on her hands. Her finger twisted a fallen piece of her hair absentmindedly, her eyes wandering around from the window to the rows of seats that made up the rest of the train's car. 

Children ran around the aisles, their parents shouting at them to not bother anyone, and May smiled fondly, pinkness spreading to her face. She had always wanted children herself, though she rarely ever brought up the topic in conversation with her dear Alphonse. Occasionally, he'd comment on how cute some kids were as they walked past them, and sometimes he had just bluntly stated his desire of having kids when he got married. 

"Why are you smiling like that?"

She blinked. "Oh? Um- it's nothing, Al. I just remembered something funny." May leaned back into her chair smoothly, hands behind her head in a relaxed state. Her eyes looked a bit too smug and arrogant on the face of a princess such as herself. 

"Oh yeah?" he chuckled, taking off his coat and neatly placing it onto the empty seat next to him. "Wanna tell me what it was?" There's a sparkle of mischievousness in his olive eyes, and there's something about his expression that gives off the air of being all-knowing. 

"Not particularly." A warm gust from the heater pelted her face as she said this, the smugness becoming more profound. At this, his curiousity apparently begins to peak as his eyebrow arches. The light winter sun bursted through their window, at last out from underneath many clouds. It seemed to glide through and reflect off of his golden hair, and it's a view she'll never forget; a view she'll relish and savor forever. 

And with that, the rest of the short ride to Ishval is left in complete silence, except for the chirping of the birds and the sound of their lips smacking together in a perfect symphony.


End file.
